Maes Hughes Childhood
by NOxLONGERxHERE
Summary: 6 year old Maes wanted to be like his father Jef. This tells you that story with the song The Other Little Soldier by Josh Gracin. Please R&R!


Disclaimer: I don't own FMA or any of its characters -except- Maes Hughes' parents, who I made up. I also don't own Josh Gracin's song "The Other Little Soldier", even though I love that song so much!

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_Oh and just to let you know, all this happened when maes was five years old._

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He used to play in daddy's uniform

with the stripes across the sleeve

And he knew when he was all grown up

What he was gonna be

"Hi Daddy!" little Maes said to his father. His dad, Jef Hughes, was in the military and when Jef looked over his shoulder, there was Maes in his uniform, smiling. "Oh, why are you wearing that?" he asked with a curious look in his face. Maes just looked up and laughed. "I'm gonna be a Lieutenant Colonel like you when I grow up! Now all I need is a knife like yours!" Just as he stopped, Jef gave him a wood carving that he'd been working on. It looked just like the knife he had, a small arrow shape with serrated edges and two holes in the middle.

He used to like to ambush

every careless cat or dog

That had the nerve to cross

Battle lines that he had drawn

Every day after that, Jef would look outside to see what his son was doing and everytime, Maes would be out on his own "battlefield" he'd set up in the backyard. Once Jef would hear him yell out, "This is Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes reporting!" or "My name is Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes and this is my partner Lieutenant Colonel Jef Hughes."

And even though he didn't know

what his dad was fighting for

he was proud to be the other little soldier

In this war

The phone rang in the middle of the night

When they called his dad to go

Kissed him and his mom goodbye

He said "God I love you both,

Now I know that it's a lot to ask

Of such a little man

But hold the fort and I'll be home

As quickly as I can

"Now you be a good boy Maes. Daddy has work he needs to do." Jef told Maes as he left. "I will daddy! Just make sure that you come home soon!" Maes replied as his father drove away. Him and his mom, Erika, stood there until Jef was out of sight. Maes looked up at his mom and saw that she was crying. "It's okay mommy. Daddy said he'd come home. Please don't cry, he promised."

And even though he didn't know

what his dad was fighting for

he was proud to be the other little soldier

In this war

A wall could not begin to hold

the names of all the kids

Who gave the greatest sacrifice

that any child could give

Maes waited for his dad to return after that. The days turned into weeks and the weeks turned to months. Three months later, they got a call. An officer told Erika, "We're sorry ma'am, but your husband Jef Hughes had been killed." Maes just looked up as his mom hung up the phone. He saw her hit the floor crying, and walked over to her. Maes had tears in his eyes, but he wasn't crying, "It's okay mommy. Daddy said he promised to come home. He kept his promise and is home now."

It was the first time he'd ever seen

A flag from up that close

And he watched them as they folded it

So careful and so slow

As they gave it to his mother

He knew what he should do

He raised his little hand

And gave his dad one last salute

At the day of his dad's burial, Maes stood through the ceremony staring at the ground. After the people left, he was still there at the grave. Right before he was about to leave, someone came up behind him and put their hand on his shoulder. Maes looked up and his father was looking down at him. Jef smiled and said, "You said you wanted to be a soldier like me right?" Maes nodded. Jef pointed at his clothes and said, "Now you are one." Maes looked at his clothes. It was now a military outfit. He looked back up at his dad and Jef was saluting him.

And even though he didn't know

what his dad was fighting for

He was proud to be the other little soldier

In this war

All Maes could do at the time was stand up tall and straight and salute back to his dad. He said, "Thanks dad. Thanks for everything." Maes watched as Jef started to fade away. He was giving Maes the three-fingered sign as a sign of farewell. Maes smiled and did it too. Befor his dad completey disappeared, Maes told him, "I love you...dad." Jef disappeared as his mom came up to Maes. She looked at Maes and he was crying. She couldn't help but cry too. He looked up at her and said, "It's okay mommy...don't cry."


End file.
